Torch Song
by Emmy Kay
Summary: “You’re my girl, Hinata. Promise you’ll write.” “I-I promise, Naruto.” How could she say no to a man going off to war? WWII-era AU. NaruHina. Other pairings possible.
1. Intro

Title: Torch Song

Claimer/Author: This story is written by and belongs to Emmy Kay.

Pairing: Hinata/Naruto, Others

Summary: "You're my girl, Hinata. Promise you'll write." "I-I promise, Naruto." How could she say no to a man going off to war? AU. NaruHina. Other pairings possible. Potential for character death in later chapters.

Disclaimer: Naruto and all affiliated characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi. This story is written without permission and for personal/fan/nonprofit entertainment purposes only.

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"So long as we love, we serve; so long as we are loved by others, we are indispensable." (Robert Louis Stevenson, from USO website)

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Chapter 1. Intro.

Halloween, 1941.

It was the music, Hinata reflected, much later. After all the excitement had died down. It was almost definitely the music. Of course, the booze probably didn't help.

She had been dragged to this dance by Ino – who had claimed that since even Forehead Girl Sakura had taken a break from studying, everybody should. When Hinata had tried to protest – after all, this was her first year at Teachers College and she really needed to prove to everybody back home on the Big Island that she belonged here – besides she had nothing to wear, not a costume, no nothing – Ino had crushed all arguments with two simple sentences. "Naruto might be there. Besides, I'll get you back before curfew."

The questions that had popped up in her head – why would Naruto, who had barely graduated from the little schoolhouse at the edge of the sugar plantation, be at a college party on an entirely different island? How could Ino even know he would attend? Hinata decided that she couldn't be worried about that – she would just go, and see what happened.

When asked what her costume was, Ino replied, airily, "Veronica Lake," and then flipped her long blond hair with its new peek-a-boo bangs at Hinata. As Hinata worried about her costume, Ino merely handed Hinata a masquerade-type mask of black and navy feathers.

Before they left the house, Kurenai, the house mother, snapped a photo of the three of them; Hinata holding her mask, Sakura in a cute nurse costume, and Ino as the latest Hollywood heartbreaker.

Along with Ino, Sakura walked with Hinata to the house in which the party was being held. Music blared out of the open windows and doors of the large house. Hinata was glad Sakura was also there. While Sakura could sometimes be frustrating, she was ultimately fairly nice, and definitely better than no company at all.

Hinata hung back, timid, the mask only serving to make her more self-conscious. She looked around – there had been a token effort to make the large living space feel like Halloween – a couple of pumpkins scattered around, a some of drapes of black and orange crepe paper, and a handful of paper lanterns with crude cut-outs of cats and bats, but things were clearly on a college budget done by college boys. The largest features of the party were a big bowl of fruit-filled punch and a roasted pig sitting on a table. Half-hearted efforts were made towards small sides of poi, long rice, potato salad, and sweet bread.

There were a lot of boys at the party, but no Naruto. Hinata should have known Ino was just looking for some company to come to this party. Ino and Sakura and just about every other girl were at the center of the gathering, outnumbered by males, 2 to 1, laughing and chatting, some were even dancing to the music on the record player.

Someone had handed her a small cup of the punch when they had entered the house. Long used to the teasing of the plantation boys, Hinata took a test sniff. There was something vaguely suspicious about it – but she didn't know what else to do with her hands, so she kept holding it. She wasn't going to have a good time tonight. It wasn't anybody's fault. All the boys were nice seeming enough – but nice enough just wasn't good enough. The room was getting stuffy and crowded, not that anybody else seemed to notice.

Several songs had played, each one a little louder, a little more raucous, than the last, and still no Naruto. It was a fantasy to imagine that he'd show up here, of all places. Why would he? Plus, he had treated her the same way their whole lives – like a friend, like a girl you liked okay when you noticed her, but nothing special. One big reason to go to school on Oahu was to get away from everything that reminded her of Naruto and maybe be able to start fresh. And yet what was one of the first social things she did? Look for him at a party. And a not very good party, at that. She should have her head checked.

She shouldn't have come, Hinata knew it from the moment she stepped into the house. In a little bit, she thought, she'd tell Ino and Sakura that she was leaving. She would make it home in time for curfew, and dorm mother Kurenai would be satisfied in her last bed-check rounds. And that, as they say, would be that.

Hinata had already started slipping towards the door when a darkly tanned, ham-sized hand grabbed her wrist. "Hey, girly, where you going?" She didn't need to hear the silky tones to start feeling a peculiarly unpleasant sinking sensation inside her stomach. The large hand was attached to an equally large arm, which, in turn, was attached to a very large dark-haired man. Definitely not Naruto. Definitely not where she wanted to be. Instinctively, she tried to pull away, but he was not letting her go.

"I – uh – I'm just going – going –" Hinata bit her lip, and tried to look over his massive bulk. Damn Ino! Where was she?

"Why? We're all just – just having a good time, here, yeah?" A slight slur had worked its way up into his voice.

"Oh, oh – yeah," Hinata replied, weakly, still casting about for her supposed friends. "But um, I've g-g-got to get b-b-back." She tried to sound more confident. "For school curfew."

"Oh! A co-ed," a light dawned in his eyes. Hinata felt a flare of hope, and then he said, "I like co-eds. Hey, you're prob'ly pretty cute, under that mask and all."

Ugh. Damn Ino! Hinata pulled at her arm again. "Th-that's great. Maybe you sh-should try with those girls there," and she used her other arm – the one holding the punch cup – to airily point out a pile of people – in the center of which she hoped stood a co-ed. But at this rate, she'd take any person who would distract this guy long enough that she could get away.

Big-and-drunk tried to make a grab for her other hand. "Le's dance."

Damn! Hinata threw her drink at the guy, and when he loosened her arm in surprise, squeezed past. Her flight came to an abrupt end as he managed to grab a hold of her shoulder.

"Why did you have to do that?" he asked, twisting Hinata around, clearly upset. "I liked you, I really, really thought I did."

Hinata bit her lip and pulled at her arm, trying hard to thinking beyond her panic. "I - um - I - "

A golden-tan forearm in a short orange-and-black-clad sleeve filled Hinata's vision, pushing at Big-and-drunk. "Because she doesn't like you." She looked up and saw a pair of familiar blue eyes, one of which winked at her. "Hinata, I'm sorry for being late, but I got held up at work." Naruto returned to the task at hand, he was a little shorter and much slimmer than his opposite, but benefiting from a clearly fit physique and a little thing called sobriety.

Still able to size up an opponent, the guy backed down. "Sorry, brah, I didn't know she was your gal." He shook his head. "You got to keep them co-eds in line."

"Yeah, thanks," Naruto said shortly, turning away to Hinata.

Hinata shrieked. "Nar - !" A meaty fist came flying through the air towards the back of Naruto's head.

Naruto turned, just in time to have it glance off his cheek. "Why you – !" he snarled at the guy, hints of a red in his eyes. "Hinata – run! I'll catch up later!" With that, he fully faced Big-and-drunk, hurling himself towards the bulky youth.

Hinata took off, aware that while the altercation between herself and Big-and-drunk might have garnered a little attention, it was nothing compared to what would happen between Naruto and him. If there was anything she knew about Naruto, it was that he never backed down from a fight, especially if he felt the fight was being brought to him. She waited outside the house for a few, very tense moments, nervously twisting her own hands. The sound of broken glass, masculine yells, and a few feminine shrieks filled the air. Very shortly, she was joined by a handful of other people, Sakura among them.

"Where's Ino?" asked Hinata, pulling off her mask.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Ino likes watching fights – if she can see around that hair of hers. I'm sure she's safe. So, did you see Naruto?"

Hinata nodded, hesitantly. There had been a time when she had thought that Sakura and Naruto had maybe had something going on between them. Hinata was afraid of revealing too much. Maybe that thing was still going on.

The front door flew open, banged against the side of the house, and then slammed shut again – a thud against the glass showed the press of bodies for a moment. The second time the door was opened, it was wrenched off its hinges, and fell crookedly against the wall. Out bounced a blur of yellow and orange and black. Naruto turned to the house, his face streaked with blood, his mouth and nose in a feral grimace, accentuating the scars across his cheeks, remnants of an old accident. He wiped his face on his shoulder and spat something pinkish out in the yard. He tensed as if to start running back into the house.

"Naruto!" scolded Sakura in a loud voice, coming up to him, "Why do you have to be so reckless?"

The boy spun around in surprise, his stance relaxing when he realized who it was. He coughed and spat again.

Sakura opened her purse with some disgust, "Here – take this hanky." She pushed the small square of cloth at him. He took it automatically, mopping at a bloody gash on his forehead that was dripping into his eyes.

Hinata felt her heart sink. She too had a handkerchief – every good girl did in case of emergencies – which she supposed now would now remain hidden inside her handbag.

Naruto looked around, until his eyes fell on the silent brunette who was looking at him with enormous grey eyes. "Hinata!" He sounded relieved. "Are you all right?"

Hinata nodded. Naruto shoved the handkerchief back to Sakura. "Thanks," he said, almost as an afterthought.

"You've got no manners!" Sakura scolded, holding the handkerchief out with her fingertips to avoid soiling her dress.

Naruto raised one shoulder in a careless shrug. "Like I ever did. C'mon, Sistah Sakura. Let it go." He nodded towards Hinata – "I'll walk you home," he said, his voice slowing at the end as he realized it sounded more like a command. Quieter, his eyes meeting hers, "If you want, Hinata."

Surprised, Hinata could only nod as she stepped forward.

"What about me?" protested Sakura.

"Hey – thanks for bringing Hinata to the party. Sorry I was late," Naruto tossed at Sakura as he began walking away. "And tell Ino thanks too." A distant siren began wailing. "We'd better hurry up, Hinata. It looks like the cops have been invited to the party."

They walked briskly for a block, Hinata was focusing on keeping up, trying not to be aware of the silence between the two of them. Then he began to slow down, and Hinata matched his pace.

"So – how's – " Hinata began.

"What're – " Naruto queried. Their voices ran over each other. He began to laugh, but not in an amused way. "Man," he said, shaking his head. "This was not the way I thought seeing you again would be like."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, I just thought meeting you at a party – it would be like new, yeah? But good, because we already know each other, yeah? But," he rubbed the back of his neck under the collar of his brightly colored aloha shirt, "it didn't turn out that way." He turned away from her, as if embarrassed. His voice dropped. "First thing I do is get into a fight. Just like back home in Konoha."

Hinata tried to reassure him. "But Naruto – that's okay. Because I already know you."

He shrugged. "But here – on Oahu, I thought things would be different, you know? A chance to start over – maybe make some money, and become a big man. Not the little orphan Nisei raised by crazy gambling Granny Tsunade of the sugar plantation."

To her horror, Hinata felt dampness welling up in her eyes. The last thing she wanted Naruto to see was her pity. He had scorned it from others in the past, he would most definitely scorn it from her now.

As they passed a small playground, Hinata spied a water fountain. "Come and sit here," she urged. As Naruto sat on a swing, she went over to the water fountain, took out her handkerchief, and dampened it. Then, when she offered it to him, he shook his head. Silently, she gently reached forward to touch his forehead, but his hand came up swiftly, automatically, to block her.

"Let me just clean it," she requested, softly. Looking a little wary, Naruto dropped his hand. Hinata dabbed at the cut across his forehead, looking at the uneven bruise already darkening his cheek. He took the handkerchief from her, his fingers briefly touching hers as he did so, and stuffed it into his breast pocket.

"Thanks," he said, shortly, staring off into the space beyond her shoulder.

Hinata took a seat on the swing next to him, thinking about the next thing she wanted to say, trying to bridge whatever gap was between them. Taking a deep breath, she extended a hand towards him. "Hello, my name is Hinata Hyuuga – what's yours?"

Puzzled, he looked at her outstretched hand, and then her face. Hinata strove to keep her expression completely sincere. Inwardly, she was shaking in trepidation. He took it, and after a little shake, released it. He replied, "Naruto Uzumaki."

"I'm a student here at the Teachers College. What do you do?"

A corner of his mouth quirked up. "I'm working here, at the naval shipyard."

"That's really interesting," Hinata smiled, encouraging.

He coughed. "So, what, uh, classes are you taking?"

"Math, English, Home Ec."

He tilted his head up towards the sky, already dimming with the equatorial twilight. He stood. "Well, Hinata, maybe I should take you back to the dorms – it's getting late. Having just met you and all." An amused grin came to his lips.

Hinata nodded, also getting up. They strolled through the quickly darkening night the few blocks to the dorm. At the door, she turned to face him. "Good night, Naruto."

"Hinata," he said slowly, and his next words came out in a rush. "Iwanttoseeyouagain."

Hinata's eyebrows drew together as she tried to decipher what he had just said.

"I want to see you again," Naruto repeated, suddenly looking nervous.

She raised her hands to her chest in barely contained excitement, a little afraid she had not heard correctly. "Really?"

He nodded, the corners of his eyes starting to crinkle hopefully.

Hinata's smile grew slowly. "Yes."

"Next Saturday. That's my next day off."

"Yes."

"I'll be by around 11."

"Yes."

He nodded, satisfied, a full beam across his face. With a little funny little salute, as if he were tugging a non-existing forehead band in her direction, Naruto walked off, whistling.

Hinata closed the door behind her. It was only then that she gave into the urge to scream in joy. Kurenai walked by, looking concerned. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes!" Hinata exclaimed, her eyes shining. Then she floated off to bed.

The euphoric feeling lasted until the Thursday before the date. Unsuspecting, she ran to pick up the house phone. It was Naruto's somewhat raspy tones, asking for Hinata Hyuuga. Hinata smiled, and didn't care that her voice reflected the upward trend of her lips. "Hello, Naruto."

"Um, Hinata, look."

Her heart began to sink. Nothing good began with that phrase, in that strange tense voice. She listened with increasing numbness as his voice continued to explain that he was sorry, but he wouldn't be able to be there on Saturday, so sorry, good-bye, really, he was sorry. The call ended with a firm click.

Hinata looked at the phone in her hand in surprise. She couldn't believe it. A buzzing from the black receiver began. She hung up the heavy handset, slowly. She didn't know what to do. What does a girl do when her first date, her long-time dream, just canceled, so sorry? She sat down, hard. She didn't want to cry. How could she cry when nothing had really happened? Only some plans for a potential outing had been changed – nothing real had changed. Absolutely nothing. And yet, why did she feel as if the world had suddenly ended?

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A/N

Torch song = sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, where one party is either oblivious to the existence of the other, or where one party has moved on (from Wikipedia)

It is unclear whether the University of Hawaii (now the University of Hawaii at Manoa) was co-ed at this time (I decided yes – early photos indicate women instructors as early as 1909, and many public institutions, especially teachers' colleges, did admit women, although women were in the clear minority).

Brah = common Hawaiian pidgin word meaning 'brother', also bruddah (am trying to keep usage of pidgin to a minimum, mostly because I am uncertain about usage, but also for the sake of clarity).

Sistah = similar to Brah in usage – indicates familiarity but not necessarily blood relation.

Nisei (Sansei) = second (or third) generation (based on Japanese for 2,3 – "ni", "san"). American-born Nisei of this era were usually first-generation citizens due to various laws that prevented their immigrant parents from attaining citizenship.

A more complete list of references (too long to be posted here) and caveats (also very long: have only visited Hawaii twice, have never written anything with real historic background, etc.) is available upon request.

So, if anybody knowledgeable about Hawaiian pidgin and/or Japanese language is willing to beta, please PM me. I'd really appreciate it.

My first multi-chapter fic – please let me know what you think. (Updates might be a little slow due to plotting and research issues, sorry.)

Inspired by a series of reviews/discussion between Shawny Wong, TENDERVanilla, and Wandering Wonderer about AU's. (Part of a very loose, otherwise unrelated group of stories/ideas I call "Men in Uniform", of which "Special Delivery" is a part).


	2. Verse 2a AdLib

Title: Torch Song

Disclaimer: Naruto and all affiliated characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi. This story is written without permission and for personal/fan/nonprofit entertainment purposes only.

Note: Small changes made 9/30/09.

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Chapter 2. Verse.

That Saturday, Hinata had taught her small class of three-year-olds at the Japanese language school. She finished the session with a group sing-along to the "Hello Good-bye Song," and then released them to their parents.

The last thing she wanted was to go back to the dorms, so she had gone downtown to do some shopping instead. Sakura and Ino had both been quite puzzled as to why the date was canceled. Hinata didn't have any explanation for her friends, only the fact that Naruto had called and seemed strange. After some angry words about Naruto, Ino tossed her head. "That's the last time I do any favors for him!"

Sakura was thoughtful. "There has to be a reason. Naruto seemed so sincere when he asked us to get you to come to that party."

They had wanted to go with her into Honolulu, or at the very least, meet her for some tea downtown, but Hinata hadn't wanted that. She wanted to walk around, alone. And if she turned her face away from a happy couple clearly on a date, or stared at a head of messy blond hair for a shade too long, no one would know besides her.

After a few idle hours of feeling sorry for herself, Hinata had gotten on the bus back to the Manoa Valley. She hadn't managed to get a seat on the crowded vehicle, but she didn't mind standing. Her impulsive purchases of bento and candy would be fine in their bags on the floor. She had bought entirely too much, having spent almost the entirety of her monthly allowance – but Ino and Sakura and the other girls in the dorm would love it.

Hinata looked out the window, wondering when the city would start to look familiar, when she would stop missing the farm she grew up on, missing her sister, missing her father, missing everything about home. Idly, she noticed someone walking alone on the street. She sighed in tired frustration, her eyes following him without really focusing. Yet another seemingly-familiar figure with blond hair; this one was wearing a suit and carrying a small bundle of flowers. Why did everybody have to look like Naruto when the last thing she wanted to see was Naruto?!

Wait a minute. Hinata squinted. It was Naruto! She hauled on the bus' bell pull, grabbed up her bags, and tore out of the bus as quickly as she could, despite the protests of the riders around her as she pushed her way out. She landed on the street corner and looked around until she found her quarry. Then she headed in his direction, determined not to let him out of her sight until she had given him a sizable piece of her mind.

What was Naruto doing, dressed so nicely, carrying a bouquet? She felt a spurt of righteous anger. Those were her flowers! He should be giving those flowers to her!

As Hinata continued to trail him, the initial burst of fury slowly drained away, leaving a creeping sense of shame and a strong desire to laugh at herself. There she was on a street in broad day light, following Naruto, the boy who had summarily canceled on her. Perhaps her father was right – despite all the schooling, family instruction and training, she still didn't know how to act like a Japanese girl, much less a yamato nadeshiko. She didn't even know why she was doing this - the vague notion of really asking him what had happened faded with each step. She must be crazy. Still, she kept following him.

The houses became progressively smaller and shabbier the longer they stayed on the street. The sidewalks disappeared. The asphalt stopped and became hard-packed dirt. The sound of children echoed all the way down the street, growing louder as they approached the visible dead end. Naruto kept walking until he reached a shabby tin-roofed house, the paint faded and peeling off the weathered shingles. Hinata watched as Naruto checked the address on a slip of paper he pulled from his jacket pocket. He knocked on the door. A thin, frail-looking woman in a worn muumuu appeared, her prematurely lined face questioning. He said something, and she nodded. The door opened wider and they both disappeared inside.

Hinata approached the house, cautiously. She had no idea what she was doing – but she was dying of curiosity. She peeked into a smudgy window and saw Naruto's profile as he sat on a little wicker chair, facing someone she couldn't see. He was gesturing broadly, laughing. A little girl leaned against his leg. The thin woman was standing against a doorframe, a smile on her thin lips.

Suddenly, a child's round face popped up in the window staring straight at her, causing Hinata to jerk backwards in surprise. His small, chubby hand pointed directly at Hinata and she could clearly see him mouth the words, "somebody's there."

Alarm rang through her body. She had been caught red-handed. Before Hinata could even think of escaping, the door to the house was opened by the thin woman. "Hello?"

"H-hello." Hinata mustered up a social smile, trying not to look as thoroughly ashamed as she felt. This, she thought ruefully, is what happens when you go looking for trouble. Trouble returns the favor and finds you. "I'm l-looking for Naruto Uzumaki? We - we were supposed to meet -"

"He's here. Come in." With a questioning look on her face, the thin woman ushered Hinata into a living room filled with children and a scattering of threadbare furnishings. Naruto straightened up, his mouth opening in surprise – "Hinata!"

A word to another child brought another wicker chair from somewhere, and it was placed next to Naruto. Hinata was urged sit down. She was suddenly glad she was still dressed in the recently-ironed cotton dress she wore to class. Across from Naruto sat an older man with a wide, genial face, his plaster-covered leg propped up on a stool. "Hinata, huh?" The older man's face creased into a welcoming smile. "So, this is the girl you've been talking about."

Naruto flushed. Smiling, pulling together a lifetime of social lessons, Hinata entered the room. "Naruto – I'm so glad to see you." She reached into one of her bags, and pulled out the bento boxes and the bag of candy. "I brought these for you – and the children."

The young eyes around Hinata widened. And grubby little hands immediately started to stretch open in front of her. "Miss! Missy! Please!"

The woman waded in among the children, quite embarrassed. "I'm so sorry – Miss – " She turned to scold the children for their forwardness.

And Hinata began to laugh. "Hyuuga - Hinata Hyuuga. It's okay - really. I teach pre-schoolers at the Japanese language school, and kids are all the same everywhere." She opened the bag and dropped sweets into the waiting palms, mentally apologizing to Ino and Sakura. She looked up from the children, feeling contrite. "I'm sorry – I should have given this to you first – but – "

"Oh, we're so happy – " the mother said, moving to blot her eyes with a corner of her apron. "The children haven't seen generosity like this since we moved here from Hilo. I'm Kimi -" she gestured to her husband, "that's Goro."

Goro clarified, "We used to live in Hilo – and I fished with my brothers, but the work in the shipyards just paid better. Which is why we moved." He sighed, looking at the cast on his leg. "And why I can't work now."

Kimi was following her own line of thought. "Hyuuga - your father has the general store in Konoha."

"Yes."

"I remember your mother - I think you even look like her - except for the eyes. Those are Hyuuga eyes all right."

"Like my mother?" Everything about Hinata stilled. _She looked like her mother._ Nobody she knew spoke of her mother, perhaps out of respect to her father. _She looked like her mother. _"Really?"

Kimi nodded, as if satisfied with her conclusions. "Your mother was the sweetest lady. This reminds me of something she might have done. Whenever we'd go into the store, your mother would give us these apple-flavored candies, I remember."

Hinata smiled. She remembered the candies as well. "They were her favorite. My father still stocks them."

"I didn't know you lived in Konoha, Kimi," Naruto commented.

"I grew up there - until I married Goro. Tell me, how are things in Konoha now?"

Hinata and Naruto stayed for a good half hour longer, chatting about life on the Hamakua coast, the work of the sugar plantations, fishing, and life in and around Konoha and Hilo.

As the visit clearly was coming to an end, Hinata and Naruto were seen out of the house. When Hinata walked to the curb, she noticed she was alone. She turned. It was only after she saw Naruto slip an envelope into the woman's hand that he rushed to Hinata's side. The woman opened the envelope and gaped at the contents. "Naruto – it's too much!"

"A bunch of us guys got together – just to help out." He slipped a work-calloused hand under Hinata's elbow. "Come on," he muttered, "let's go."

"It's got to be a mistake. There's more than two weeks' pay in here!" Kimi protested.

"Bye!" he yelled, waving, not looking backwards, taking big steps away from the house. Following Naruto's lead, Hinata hurried down the street.

A child ran towards them, yelling, "Thanks, Naruto! Thanks for the candy, Miss Lady!"

Hinata broke into helpless giggles as Naruto kept walking. She wanted to stop, but as he continued walking, she had to keep up – which only made her giggle harder. She peeked at him through her lashes, and noticed him smiling broadly.

She continued to laugh in fits and starts, until finally he halted at a street corner, releasing her arm entirely. She took both arms and wrapped them around her middle, laughing. "Miss Lady! I never thought I'd be a Miss Lady!" She wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes, straightened up, and smiled happily up at Naruto. "What're we going to do now?"

He stilled and looked down at her, a frown drawing the corners of his mouth down.

She clapped a hand over the bottom half of her face, suddenly aware of the exact nature of her words. She stared back at him, grey eyes wide, skin paling.

Naruto looked at her for a moment, his blue eyes narrowed in assessment. Hinata's insides started to wither. He probably didn't want her around – after all, he had broken their date once already. What was she thinking when she said those words? She started to consider graceful ways to leave. Maybe she should consider ways to leave, period.

"Well," he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, self-consciously. "I don't have much money – "

"That's okay," Hinata hurried to say. "I don't either."

"Do you like shave ice?" His slow words halted her thoughts in their tracks.

She bobbed her head happily. "I love shave ice. Especially with sweet red beans."

He suddenly straightened up, his smile like a sudden ray of sunshine in a storm. "Well, that's great, because I know a place we can get shave ice. Cheap." He quickly corrected himself. "Good and tasty. But cheap."

"Cheap and tasty is good," encouraged Hinata. "Let's go."

"It's a little bit of a walk – " mulled Naruto.

"I like walking," Hinata said. "I'm a student. I'm used to walking."

"Okay," he nodded.

They walked several blocks to a family-run grocery that had a shave ice machine in the back of the store. They received their cones of shave ice; rainbow flavored for Naruto, liliko'i over adzuki beans for Hinata. They ate while strolling along the street, ending up at a small, empty beach of coarse sand. Naruto threw his jacket on the sand, and then gestured for Hinata to sit down on it.

Hinata hesitated. "But this is your jacket - I can't sit on it. I've sat on the ground before - your jacket's too nice."

"Ah," Naruto said, "don't worry about it." As Hinata lowered herself to the ground, he added, "It's not mine."

"What?" She leaped up, eyes wide.

"I'm kidding - joking - ha ha," Naruto flapped his hands to keep her from moving away entirely. "Sit down. Relax. Really - it's a joke. Sorry. I bought it second-hand from a guy at the boarding house. Really, don't worry about it. Please, sit."

Hinata sat at the very edge, still a little mistrustful. Naruto joined her, and as there wasn't a lot of room, he ended up sitting quite close to her - if either of them had just leaned a little towards the middle, they would have touched shoulders. Naruto cleared his throat and cast a quick, shy glance in her direction. Maybe, Hinata thought hopefully, maybe he was just a little uncomfortable too. Maybe this was a little new to him, and he was just trying to ease the tension the best way he knew how. Maybe.

"So, how'd you know I was at Kimi and Goro's house?"

She blushed. "It's a little embarrassing."

"No way - they loved you."

There was no way not to tell him. His open expression drew an honest answer, if reluctant answer. "Umm - I followed you."

He looked at her quizzically. "What?"

"I saw you on the street and I just followed you." At his surprise, she said, "I was so mad at you for breaking our date - I wanted to tell you off, but I was working on getting up the nerve and then you stopped at their house and then..." she squirmed uncomfortably at the memory. "I got caught."

"Ah." Naruto thought about it a moment. "Are you still mad?"

"No," Hinata said quickly. And then she repeated, "no," really meaning it. "That's why you canceled our date - because you were going to give them all that money. Isn't it?" She watched closely to see if her guess was correct, and saw him flinch with some satisfaction.

He muttered something under his breath.

"What is it?"

Chagrined, he confessed, "I really wanted to do something nice, go somewhere nice - with you - do something that would impress you - but then Goro got hurt and he's got a bunch of kids - and I just wouldn't feel right about not helping them. We were trained together."

"This is pretty nice," Hinata commented, gesturing to the sand around them. "I've always loved eating shave ice out on the beach."

Naruto's voice was voice was flat with self-derision. "A date every girl dreams about - getting the cheapest thing on the menu."

"I love it - " Hinata said. He lifted a shoulder in neither confirmation or denial of her statement. She quickly changed the topic. "How did you know I would be at that party?"

He answered the question gamely. "Sakura told me. She said you and she and Ino were all going to school together, and I thought, here we all are in a new place. I wanted to see if I could – if you could – you know – if we could maybe just – you know – " here he paused, "get reacquainted, yeah? I didn't know if you had a boyfriend or anything - I hadn't seen you for a while. Sakura said that if you came to the party, you might be interested in seeing me. She said she'd try to get Ino to get you to come."

"Yes, that's how that went." They were quiet for a moment, contemplating the small conspiracy.

"So, I want to know – why did you accept the date in the first place?"

Hinata almost dropped her spoon. How do you begin to tell someone you've admired for years how you feel about them? "Be - be - because -" she stammered, squeezing the paper cup so hard it crumpled, pouring the contents all over her hand, spilling onto her skirt. "Oh!" she exclaimed, jumping off the jacket. She felt close to tears - she was not only incapable of expressing herself, she was also incredibly clumsy right at the worst moment.

"It's okay," Naruto rushed to comfort, "Take this." He quickly reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a handkerchief.

She took it and vigorously brushed at her clothes, and then tried to wipe off her hand. She was about to hand it back when she noticed some familiar-looking initials embroidered in purple thread in the corner. "Um - Naruto?"

"Yeah? Do you need something else?" He stood up and patted himself down, pulling some odds and ends out of his pants pockets. "I've got some twine and some bits of paper - "

"Is this my handkerchief?"

"Oh," Naruto looked down at his hands. "Look!"

Hinata glanced down and saw him draw out a thread-bare sock.

"Do you want it? I'm pretty sure it's clean."

"Naruto - is this my handkerchief?"

Looking like a deer caught in headlights, Naruto replied slowly, "Um, yeah."

_Oh._ Hinata was still processing this latest piece of information when Naruto snatched back the handkerchief and stuffed it back into his shirt pocket with a relieved sigh. Then, before she could read his intentions, he turned back to her and repeated, "Why did you accept the date in the first place?"

"Maybe, um, because - maybe because of the same reason you still have that handkerchief." Hinata paused, watching Naruto's cheeks redden. She felt a rush of bravery. "I accepted because I wanted to." She paused. "Why do you still have that handkerchief?"

"Hinata – are we talking honestly?" He looked serious. "Because I wanted something from you, even something small like this," he touched his shirt pocket.

"So why did you ask?" Hinata pressed.

Naruto confessed, "I wanted to go on a date with you. Back home, I could never have gone on a date with you – "

"Why not?"

Naruto looked surprised that he even had to explain it. "Because I'm just the dumb kid nobody wanted – with a dead mom and a dad no one ever saw. Even Tsunade-baachan didn't have lots of time for me - she was always so busy taking care of sick people. That's why she was always leaving me with Sakura and her mom." He said these things with a remarkable lack of self-pity. To him, these were facts. "And you're – you're a Hyuuga! In Konoha, I'd be lolo to talk to you – Neji would beat me up. And your father – he looks like of those guys who could kill another guy without regret. That's something a guy has to take to heart."

Hinata hung her head. "I'm sorry." It was true that her father's pride in the Hyuuga name, the purity of their Japanese ancestry, and the long family history as samurai, was a wall against which even the friendliest outside overtures had run up against. That the family fortunes had been lost during the Meiji reforms was something that did not affect this pride in any way. "I never wanted that."

Almost as an afterthought, he added, "Besides, you could have any guy you want – you're so pretty, and smart, and educated – you even teach Japanese! I only know da kine – pidgin-talk – not even good English –"

"I teach three-year-olds! All we do is sing songs and count numbers!" she interjected, anxious to not give him a false idea of her abilities. "Um, like the hello, good-bye song, you know –" and she launched into the first verse "_O__hayo gozaimasu is morning greeting, konnichiwa in the afternoon, konbanwa is evening meeting, oyasumi nasai with the moon. I'll be back soon is Itte kimasu –"_

Naruto joined in, _"Go and come back soon is Itte__ irasshai. But no sayonara for you and I, no sayonara for you and I."_ At the last words, they faced each other and smiled.

Hinata's smile faded as she began to reflect on some of the things Naruto had said. She felt she needed to be as honest with him as he had been with her. "But – um, but -" she began, gathering up her thoughts at a rapid pace. "When I said I wanted to go on a date with you – I lied. I mean – um, that wasn't everything." Naruto's face tightened at her words, a shadow growing over his eyes. "I'm saying it wrong."

Hinata gulped, aware of the hazards of what she was about to blurt out, but desperately needing to say what had sat at the center of her heart for as long as she could remember. "I've always admired you, Naruto - all the way through school. I always thought that you had so much courage – the kind of bravery to try new things, things I couldn't ever do – and-and-and-" Hinata pulled in air like a drowning person, frightened of what she was revealing but unable to stop as she watched Naruto's mouth drop open in surprise.

"And you are always so kind, with your whole heart, without any thought of payback – just like today – giving your entire pay to that man and his family. Naruto, you were the one who is smart – not just books but real street smarts. You will succeed in whatever you want to do. And you've got the strength to do whatever you want – and make it happen and make people believe in you." She said, sadly, "I thought because of your strengths and your goals you never even saw me."

"Oh no, Hinata," he breathed her name, softly, slowly, his eyes tender on her face. "I always recognized you."

They paused to look at each other, a little dizzy from the force of their words and emotions. He reached out, laying his hand close to hers on the jacket lining. Their shoulders pressed together. She turned slightly and caught his calloused palm, holding it between her hands. She looked down, her hair swinging downward and hiding her smile at the image of the intertwined fingers – his large and golden tan, hers smaller and paler. Then they stared out at the horizon together, just savoring the moment.

The sun was setting. Hinata sighed. It was so beautiful, and set so quickly. It was time she got back to the dorms. Who would have guessed what an eventful afternoon this grim morning would have turned out to be?

He helped her up, and without any words, he continued to hold her hand as they walked.

For the next few days, if Hinata really concentrated, she could still taste the sweetness of the shave ice.

* * *

The single phone at the boarding house rang. "Uzumaki!" yelled a masculine voice, "It's a girl. For you."

Naruto grinned as he took the receiver, trying to ignore the catcalls and hooting. "The first call Uzumaki gets is from a girl? Uzumaki's got a girl? A wahine? A wahine called Uzumaki? Does she have a sister?" His smile faded as he heard the tense, soft voice on the other side of the line. It was Hinata.

"Naruto, I'm sorry, I've got to cancel our date. I've got to go home, back to Konoha. My father's sick."

He pulled the phone tighter to his ear. "What happened?"

"He fell at the store. Neji's mom found him and called me to come home. That's all I know."

"I'm sorry. I hope it's not too bad."

"Me too," she replied, trying, and failing to sound optimistic.

"When will you be back?"

"I don't know. I hope soon."

* * *

Chapter 2a. Ad Lib.

Konoha.

The late afternoon sun filtered in through the scrap-lumber roof of a 3-walled wooden structure with a rough dirt floor, the fourth wall consisted of a rack of bars lashed together to form a makeshift cage. Inside, a black-haired young man was slowly, deliberately wrapping his already leather-clad left hand, wrist, and arm in another layer of rawhide straps. His keen grey eyes were focused on the other occupant of the large mews. A small brown and white hawk perched on a waist-high bench returned the steady regard unblinkingly.

"Hey! Hey, Neji!"

While the 'io turned its head toward the high-pitched feminine voice, Neji continued with his wrapping unperturbed, as if he had known who it be.

A brunette with her hair tied up in twin buns on either side of her head came bouncing up the path, only slowing down when Neji's deep, somber tones requested, "Please keep calm. Don't alarm the hawk." When Tenten made a move to approach, "And don't step in the water."

The girl halted, one foot raised above the ground, only then noticing the large shallow bowl of water on the floor. She pivoted neatly to avoid it. "You're sure spending a lot of time out here with this 'io," Tenten commented. "Are you sure the Big Boss likes his genius field supervisor spending all this time away from the sugar plantation?"

"Hn."

"Who knew that Neji Hyuuga would have a soft spot for birds?"

"Tenten," a suggestion of suppressed exasperation lay in his voice, "– I was watching a burn across a sugar field and saw the hawk drop right in front of it. Anybody would try to save it." His tone indicated that only a simpleton wouldn't have understood.

The cheerful girl was undeterred. In fact, this only seemed to increase her amusement. Tenten was used to this from him. If he had given any other kind of response, she would have thought something was definitely wrong. "Sure, anybody would try to save a foot-long predator with big talons and sharp beak from a huge, fast-moving super-hot fire." She moved around to one side of Neji. The hawk's black eyes followed her, where the man's did not. "Maybe love of predators runs in the family. After all, your great-grandfather wrote a book on falconry."

"Just because my great-grandfather used to raise hawks doesn't mean there's any meaning in this."

"Oh no," twinkled Tenten. "No family meaning in anything you do. Not ever."

"I can't believe you still remember - when did I show you the book - 10 years ago?"

Tenten almost smiled at the sigh in his voice.

"Don't make me sorry I showed you," Neji warned.

"How could I be sorry?" she asked, honestly. "Your family stories – when I can get you talking – are amazing. But when I heard about you running in front of a burn, I was worried."

He finally turned his head towards her, his eyes cool. "Why? You know I'm fast enough."

"I know, I know. It's just that - Neji, we grew up together – and I worry," she shrugged helplessly, thinking about how hard Neji worked after dropping out of school to help support his widowed mother and younger siblings, watching as his native seriousness hardened into a rigid impassivity as he gradually recognized that his dreams of graduating high school and attending college would never be realized. She gestured toward the hawk. "What's its name?"

"It does not have a name. You don't name a wild thing," Neji said flatly. "The 'io is hurt. I rescued it. Once it's better, I'll release it."

"Well, I still think you keeping a bird is a good sign. Maybe that there's something human inside that block of wood that you show the world. And the workers on the sugar field thought you had gone lolo. It's funny how shaken up they are. They're still talking about how fast -"

"Shhh." Finished with his wrapping, Neji slowly extended his left arm towards the hawk, a strip of raw fish grasped in the fist. The 'io stared at the fist and rocked back and forth on the perch anxiously.

"What're you doing?"

"I'm trying to feed it. I've left fish and some meat in the cage for the last couple of days, but it won't eat. It'll drink and bathe, but it won't eat. I don't know why. Maybe if it's offered something small, it'll eat." Neji's voice softened to the barest whisper, his eyes never leaving the bird.

"What do you think is wrong with it?" Tenten asked, curiously. "I can't see any wounds or anything broken."

"Maybe it left the nest too young, or maybe the heat and the smoke hurt it, or it got into a fight and lost. I couldn't tell you. Now, shhh."

Minutes passed as the bird continued to rock on the perch. The hawk made a quick lunge, missed Neji's hand entirely, and dropped off the perch, awkwardly landing on the earthen floor, exposing its white breast and underwings as it attempted to right itself by flapping its wings. Neji knelt down gracefully next to the 'io, continuing to offer the fish. Finally, clumsily, the hawk hopped onto Neji's hand and stepped onto his wrist. The greenish-yellow feet with their long talons dug into the leather strips as the brown-feathered head dipped into Neji's fist. The sharp beak snapped precisely, snatching the small strip of fish with its razor-sharp beak. Neji stayed as still as a stone.

Once the fish was swallowed, the bird shook itself, lifted its proud head, beat its wings and looked at him expectantly.

If Tenten hadn't been looking at exactly the right angle, she would have missed the barest trace of a smile on Neji's face.

* * *

A/N

yamato nadeshiko = Japanese phrase meaning "personification of an idealized Japanese woman", "ideal" in the historical context of the patriarchal, traditional culture of Japan (the tvtropes definition and the link to sci(dot)lang(dot)japan faq is an interesting one, especially of the WWII context)

liliko'i = passion fruit (passiflora edulis)

lolo = crazy (pidgin)

sayonara = good-bye (Japanese), reserved only for occasions of a long or final parting.

Totally made up the "hello, good-bye song" even though I know pedantically, it's a terrible song.

wahine = girl, woman (pidgin)

'io = Hawaiian Hawk. An adult measures somewhere between 16 to 18 inches in length. Two color phases exist: a dark phase (dark brown head, breast, and underwings), and a light color phase (dark head, light breast and light underwings). Feet and legs are yellowish in adults and greenish in juveniles. (Wikipedia)

Much of the information on the 'io I'm using in this story is based upon European falconry techniques, texts, and videos (mostly of red-tailed hawks, gyrfalcons and eagles, as there is very little available for the 'io - (they are wild animals, this story is not an endorsement of their capture/training) - even though I imagine Japanese falconry (takagari) has some very different techniques, history and even bird preferences. (Lack of access being the main reason for this lapse.) For interesting reading, try T.H. White's "The Goshawk."

If anybody has any improvements on the Japanese/Hawaiian pidgin in this story, please let me know and I will attend to it quickly.


	3. Break 3a PreChorus

Title: Torch Song

Disclaimer: Naruto and all affiliated characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi. This story is written without permission and for personal/fan/nonprofit entertainment purposes only.

Note: Minor changes made in chapter 2 for consistency with a very very small thing in this chapter.

* * *

Chapter 3. Break.

December 8, 1941.

Tenten walked through Konoha, thinking it was somehow different today than it had been yesterday. It seemed longer than mere hours since the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Everything seemed the same: the brightly painted false fronts on the wood-shingled buildings; the lush greenery waving in the tropical breeze; the faint, distant smell of the ocean; the single paved road that connected the railroad station to the immense fields of sugar cane beyond town which then linked the military training grounds far off in the distance.

Nothing had moved or changed or gone out of business – the gas station and garage, the small schoolhouse, post office\police station, bakery and grocery store were still there; and on the far end, Ichiraku ramen stand, Hyuuga's General Store. Just up the hill sat the Shinto shrine, staring across a wide paved courtyard at the Buddhist temple. Across the valley stood the small Catholic church, its bells quiet between morning services.

Still, it just felt different somehow to Tenten. Maybe it was the massive display of American flags that appeared, overnight in the shop windows. Maybe it was the strange quiet strain over the town, only broken when someone spoke, and then they did so too loudly.

Tenten peeked in through the large glass windows of Hyuuga's General Store, cupping her hands to block out the glare of the morning sun. She knew it was much too early for the store to be open even on a regular day – but it hadn't been open since Saturday, the day before Pearl Harbor. She saw Hinata kneeling on the floor, surrounded by piles of merchandise.

One hand still pressed to the window, Tenten rapped on the glass. Hinata started, jerking to face the window, her hand over her heart. Once Hinata realized it was Tenten, she visibly relaxed and got up to open the door, snapping off the radio on the counter as she passed by.

A chime tinkled as Hinata unlocked and opened the door. "Aloha and good morning, Tenten," she greeted, a touch of anxiety in her welcome. "We're not open yet, but come in. Would you like some tea?" She carefully re-locked the door after the other girl entered.

Tenten shook her head at the offer. "Morning, Hinata." She automatically reached for an apple candy from the dish at the small table set by the entrance. "What're you doing?"

Hinata gave a self-conscious smile. "Um, well, you could say we're thinning out the stock." She gestured to the heaps around her – and the large empty spaces on the shelves in front of her.

Looking closer, Tenten saw the piles were organized by type; paper fans, tabi, bolts of fabric printed with kanji, paper umbrellas, lucky cat statues, even some books and newspapers. "It's all your Japanese stuff– "

"We've been thinking – since Pearl Harbor…." the grey-eyed girl let her voice trail off, her fingertips pushed together. She looked down at her hands as she realized what she was doing and quickly shook the offending extremities. "It's time to get rid of it. Hardly anybody wears kimono or buys Japanese goods more."

Tenten's forehead wrinkled while she considered this. "Really – ? Your store was the place to buy that sort of stuff – for the autumn festival -"

"Not anymore. It's all going away," Hinata shook her head, clearly unwilling or unable to discuss the matter further. "Anyway, Otou-san – I mean – Father – he'd been thinking for some time that maybe we should carry some Hawaiian-made goods. Maybe we would expand some other section – like the knitting goods. Things like that."

"Ah." Tenten was sorry she brought up the subject, the difficulty of addressing the issue was clear in Hinata's stiff expression. Even though there was only a year's difference between the two of them, Tenten had never been particularly close to Hinata. She had spent most of her time in class with Neji, and the two of them ended up working for the sugar plantation. She tried a different topic. "How's your father?"

"He's in the back – I think the news set his recovery back." Hinata looked worried. "He was just starting to get around with a cane, and then Pearl Harbor – he's just – sitting around – listening to the radio." She tilted her head toward Tenten and said, very softly, as if afraid of being overheard, "I'm not sure how much better he's going to get."

"I'm sorry," Tenten said sincerely. "What're you going to do about school?"

"I don't know," Hinata replied. "I don't think there's going to be school for a while – for me or for the kids I used to teach. Not after Sunday." She looked helpless and saddened. "Even if I could go back – it's just not right – I don't think. With my father and the store and – and – everything."

The news of the past 24 hours hung heavily between the two of them.

"Is Neji around?" Tenten broke the nervous quiet.

Hinata looked surprised. "You didn't see him on the outside of the store? He's supposed to be painting over all the kanji."

Tenten shook her head.

The younger woman thought for a moment. "He might have gone up the hill to burn a load of trash. He'll probably be back for lunch if you want to come back then."

Tenten felt a sudden strange, unpleasant premonition. "Thanks, Hinata," she called backwards as she hurried from the store.

* * *

He could feel the intense heat and smell the sweet odor of the wood burning merrily in the pit in front of him.

Neji had cleared the area and dug the pit himself late yesterday afternoon, knowing that his uncle would need help disposing of all the Japanese-made goods in the store and their homes as expediently as possible. While Hinata was reasonably adept at minding the store, as she should be after nearly two decades within its walls, Neji had always felt that she wasn't capable of handling emergencies. That had always been his job. His privilege. His burden.

A large, thin book was held between his hands, as fondly, as tenderly, as some might hold a well-remembered, much-loved child's toy. The cover of the book was a much-patched and faded silk over a rigid interior, the spine bound with strips of thin brown cord.

He flipped the book open, revealing soft, thick paper, foxed and wavy from generations of handling, covered with a flamboyant yet elegant script. "The Art of Falconry." Below the title, in smaller script, was the name of the author, "Hyuuga Hayabusa." Neji turned the page, tracing the lettering with one hand, intensely drawing in the contents of the first page. "Winter is the season of the caged bird…." A beautifully rendered image of a hawk roosting on a bare branch illustrated the bottom of the page.

He shut the cover with a snap. His hand held the book tightly, bringing it up against his forehead, drawing in the faint, aged smell one last time. He lifted the book into the air. Then he shut his eyes, breathing heavily. He knew exactly where the fire was. He aimed, holding his breath.

Then something grasped his arm, pulling it down and backwards. His eyes popped open and he turned in a fury, his eyes flashing white heat at the brunette in front of him.

Tenten had wrenched the book from his grasp, her own expression accusatory. "What're you doing?"

"I'm burning all the trash," Neji's temper simmered angrily, even as his voice remained calm.

"This isn't trash – it's your book – your great-grandfather's book! The book he wrote!"

Neji paled, but extended his hand. "Give it back. I need to get rid of it."

"Why?"

"Haven't you heard?" Neji asked bitterly. "We're at war now – "

"Congress hasn't declared war."

"Not yet." Neji fixed hard grey eyes on Tenten. "But soon. No one's going to stand for a foreign attack on American soil. I can't even stand it – the country of my father has attacked my country. We're not safe here – we need to get rid of everything that could be seen as treasonous – destroy everything Japanese."

"No." Tenten stared Neji down. "This is a family heirloom – given to the first boy of every generation. You told me you learned how to read and write Japanese from this book."

Neji snorted, breaking visual contact. "Much good it'll do me, knowing 18th century Japanese bird poetry. Give it here," he made a little beckoning gesture.

"This was yours. But since you don't want it, it becomes mine." Tenten clutched the book to her chest.

"Don't be stupid," Neji scolded. "You can't possibly want to keep it."

"Yup, I do." As if to prove it, she renewed her grasp of the book.

"Stubborn." He didn't say it with any kind of respect. Neji blew out a breath, stirring the long hairs at the side of his face. "Just let me get rid of it."

"Nuh-uh." She grinned at him. The little imp was starting to enjoy this!

Neji nearly growled in frustration. "Tenten – this is ridiculous – "

"You call me ridiculous, stubborn, stupid – but you know what?" Tenten countered, fiercely, "Throwing this away is worse – it's a waste, a complete loss to you, your family – think about your children -"

She could make him flinch in ways no one else could. He had never told anybody, but she might have guessed his fear that he would never be able to be free to have children, burdened, as ever, by the heavy responsibilities of his large family.

Then, quicker than virtually anyone could have followed, he stepped forward to snatch the book back. Distantly, he heard the soft sound of fabric tearing. Even as he grabbed hold of one of her arms, Tenten had spun violently enough to shake loose the pins in her hair, surprising him with her speed, managing to deflect him enough to hold onto the book. "Neji!" she cried out, chestnut locks sliding down her face and neck.

He saw the gaping rip along the front cover and burst out, "You tore it!"

"What do you care? You were about to burn it!" she yelled back.

They stared at each other a moment, breathing hard, hearts pounding.

After a moment, he nodded, pulling back. He was genuinely astonished at his own behavior. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," Neji apologized, unable to explain how he had been goaded to this point. "It's dangerous for you – for anyone – to have that now. I need to get rid of it."

In response, Tenten stuck her tongue out at him.

"Tenten – it's for your own good – your family -"

She stuffed the book under her shirt, tucking the bottom edge into her waistband to secure it.

He refused to ask her again. Neji was unable to think of another way to tackle the problem of this girl, this situation. That had always been the way – regardless of the numerous people who had thought of him as a genius – he had never been able to understand what went on in Tenten's head. "Fine. It's yours now." He started walking away.

"Where are you going?"

He didn't answer.

"Neji?"

He kept walking.

"Neji Hyuuga! You're going to talk to me! Right this minute!"

He didn't even look backwards.

Tenten caught up with Neji just as he was opening the 'io cage. The hawk sat on its perch, blinking at the sudden appearance of humans. Neji stood off to the side after the cage was opened. The 'io continued to sit there, staring back, completely still.

After a moment, Neji stepped into the cage, holding out his bare arm. The 'io trustingly stepped out onto unprotected forearm, digging in sharp talons. Neji's expression didn't change at all when he walked out past the cage entryway and took several paces beyond. He then swung his arm upwards, trying to throw the bird into the air and away. The 'io opened its beak in a soundless scree as its large wings flung open, still clutching the arm under its feet, puncturing the vulnerable skin.

"Neji! Neji! What're you doing?"

Again, Neji swung his arm. Finally, the bird launched itself in the air. A sense of satisfaction started to bloom about Neji as he watched the hawk flap mightily to gain altitude.

Then, it swung back, circled the young man, and landed heavily on the roof of the cage.

Neji couldn't believe what had happened. He waved his arms up high. "Go! Be free! Damnit – just go!" The bird looked down at Neji. "Fine," he muttered, turning, nearly tripping over Tenten. He glared at her and snapped, "Now what do you want?"

Tenten involuntarily took a step back. "Neji – "

He threw his head back to look at the bird. The 'io seemed to settle, and stared back at the young man, oblivious to the consternation it was causing.

"Stupid bird." Neji swore at the bird, something particularly pungent. He wondered where he went wrong. Was the bird still too wounded? Was it still too young? Had he made it too comfortable? Did it become too used to being fed? He became aware of the intense stinging burn along his arm, and looked down to see a few small trickles of blood where the hawk's talons had dug in. Why didn't it want to leave the cage?

"What're you doing?" Tenten asked gingerly.

He swung back to Tenten, having momentarily forgotten about her. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

Tenten tried to suppress it, covering her mouth with a hand – but a nervous hiccupping giggle still escaped.

Neji slowly closed his eyes, unable to summon the energy for anger, suddenly giving over to the internal emotional exhaustion of the last 24 hours. He hadn't slept since early yesterday, working nonstop to ensure the plans of his uncle and his mother. "Go ahead and laugh – all I've ever done is a joke to you."

"Oh no, Neji," Tenten protested. "I didn't mean it. I'm sorry."

"It won't matter anyway," he shrugged. "I'm going to enlist soon."

She suddenly stopped, every muscle straining to hear him more clearly. "What?"

"I'm going to enlist," he repeated, finality in his tone.

"But – but why? Why are you going? Neji, you don't have to volunteer."

Neji unconsciously straightened his posture. "I'm a Hyuuga. I have my family's history to remind me of what I need to do. I will fight to serve my country, to prove who we are and what we honor and who we protect – it is my ultimate destiny. It's part of the Hyuuga code of honor."

Tenten angrily slashed an arm across the air. "Your Hyuuga honor? What does that mean? You were born here in Hawaii, like me. You're as American – as – as apple pie! That history honor stuff doesn't mean anything here, not now!"

His tone pleaded with her to understand, "If I do this, maybe it will help my mother and brothers – she's afraid of being deported now. My brothers are all too young, and they don't know anything about Japan." Neji's voice turned bitter. "Even if that's all anybody thinks of when they see us."

"If you go – I always thought – we would –"

His face shuttered closed. "No."

Oblivious, she blundered on. "I always thought that you and I – that we would –"

He threw up a hand up to halt the flow of words. "I don't think this is the time – "

Tenten's voice was a strained whisper. "But Neji – I love you."

"I – I – Tenten –" he tried, and then stopped. He dropped his head, looking at the ground. A moment ticked by. "Tenten – you know that it can't be," he sounded unusually subdued.

"You tell me why," she challenged, thrusting up her chin stubbornly.

Pressed, he threw at her, "What do you think it is to love somebody? It's a burden, it's responsibility – it's hard work without any reward. Is that what you want from me?"

"You're talking about duty, Neji, not love. Love is about the people that you make precious and bring into your heart – "

"All I have is duty," he shot back. "I've got no schooling and I'll never have any money. Besides, our children would never know who they are – Chinese or Jap. Better to never have them," his voice was harsh. "I can't marry you – I could never marry you. It could never have been. Not with my family, or yours, or with this damn war. Only a fool would think otherwise."

Tenten knew she could make his change his mind – if only he _would_ change his mind. Without thinking, she reached for his sleeve, to tug it, to get his attention somehow. If only she could break through that seeming toughness – that callous created by the friction of his duty and the weight of his heritage, maybe then he would understand how she felt about him, then maybe he wouldn't do this thing and leave her behind, maybe forever….

He ignored her outstretched hand. Then, like always, he walked away from her and disappeared into the lush tropical growth.

* * *

Ch. 3a. Pre-chorus.

December 19, 1941.

Hinata bent to work, wiping down the small jewelry counter at the back of the store. There wasn't a lot of flashy or extravagant bijou under the glass – some rings, a few bracelets, necklaces, earrings – but Hyuuga's General Store was one of the few places along the northern Hamakua coast outside of Hilo that stocked jewelry of any quality.

Hiashi sat in his wheelchair, the ledger open on the desk in front of him, the radio by his side as it always was these days. Her father's voice was above the sound of the radio as he bragged about Neji to a friend. Hinata only paid marginal attention; she had been hearing the same thing for days.

"…he's going to enlist. He's going to ship out soon…"

Neji was standing on a ladder, moving some shelves.

"…helped us move to the back of the store…it's easier than going back and forth from the farm…with the rationing of the gasoline and rubber…"

Hinata mentally added, _and it is too hard for Otou-san to get around without extra help._

"…your nephew must be a great help to you…."

"…it's his duty…of course…mother agreed to take care of the property…"

The tinkle of the bell over the door sounded the exit of her father's friend. Hinata didn't bother to lift her head. The radio had been turned back on to catch the latest news.

The bell rang again. "Aloha – " Hinata automatically greeted the customer entering the store. Then she looked up to see a much-dreamed-of visage and bright blue eyes twinkling at her.

"Naruto!" she smiled back. "How did you get here?"

"Goro – you remember him, yeah?" He paused to look at Hinata, who nodded. "He was coming to visit Hilo and arranged for a boat – and I just hitched a ride with him."

"When –"

Hiashi grunted from his seat in the corner of the store.

Hinata looked abashed. "Otou-san, this is Naruto Uzumaki – he's –"

"_Tsunade's foster boy. I know who he is,"_ Hiashi replied in Japanese, disdainfully.

Brightly, Naruto turned to the older man. "Konbanwa, Hyuuga-sama."

The older man's eyebrows jumped upwards in surprise. "Konbanwa – "

"Howzit?"

Hiashi's eyebrows dipped downward as he sniffed at Naruto's salutation.

Hinata inwardly winced at her father's reaction, though it didn't slow Naruto down for a second.

"Hey, Neji," Naruto called. "Howzit?"

"Naruto," Neji inclined his head briefly before returning to his task.

Naruto looked at Hinata longingly, and then eagerly proposed – "Come on, Hinata – let's go for some ramen."

She cast a hesitant look in her father's direction. "Otou-san – may I –"

Without seeming to have heard, Hiashi turned to adjust the volume up on the radio.

"If you can wait a little," Hinata requested of Naruto anxiously, "I'm free after the store closes –"

"Oh, sure," Naruto replied. "I'll just wait at Ichiraku, okay?"

Hinata nodded.

Even before the door shut behind Naruto, Hiashi asked Hinata in Japanese, _"What's that boy doing here?"_

"_It's, um, j-j-just ramen, Otou-san,"_ she replied, feebly, in the same language.

Hiashi lectured, _"I know that boy, Hinata. That one is nothing but trouble. He's uneducated, he's doesn't have any prospects, he's doesn't have __yamato-damashii__, he doesn't have a father to teach him the right way of acting. He's nothing but a fool - " _

Neji abruptly dropped the shelf he was holding with a hard clatter, breaking into the older man's complaint. "Hinata, if you leave now, you can meet Naruto on the way." He turned to face Hiashi, face blank. "I'll take care of things here and help Oji-sama close up shop."

"Thank you, Nii-san," Hinata uttered in grateful surprise, hurridly closing and locking the counter. She grabbed her handbag and rushed to the door.

"Don't forget about curfew," Neji reminded her as she exited the store.

Hinata did not look back.

Within a few steps, Hinata spied Naruto, slumped over, his back leaning against the outside wall of the store. A sudden image floated to the top of her memory – a much younger Naruto standing by the outer school wall, hungrily looking for friendship or conversation or for any kind of recognition. Waiting, all alone. The rest of the schoolchildren and their parents walked around him, laughing and chattering amongst themselves. Ignoring him.

Right then Hinata vowed, never again would anyone intimidate her into changing her behavior to those precious to her.

Quietly, she came up behind him. "Hi."

He jerked upright, twisting towards her voice. He lit up when he recognized her. "Hinata! That was fast!"

"Neji offered to help out," she explained. They started walking down the street.

"I'll have to thank him someday."

Hinata decided against telling Naruto that Neji's actions probably had nothing to do with him and everything to do with her father. But she did have to say something about the way her father acted, difficult though it may be. "I'm sorry about my father – "

Naruto shrugged it off. "It's nothing." He whistled as they approached Ichiraku ramen stand. "This is something. Here too, huh?" he gestured to the large empty spot where its signature red and white lantern and noren had been taken down.

Hinata gave a trace of a nod. "Everywhere."

"I don't think that'll change the taste of the noodles, yeah?" Naruto said, gesturing for Hinata to take a seat. He pulled a menu off the counter and handed it to Hinata. "Old Man! Sistah Ayame!" Naruto virtually sang as he plopped himself down at the bar. "Two miso and pork – oh, and Hinata, what're you going to have?"

Ayame's head turned from the lone customer seated at the bar when the young man entered the bar. "Naruto!"

Naruto's eyes widened when he saw who else was sitting at the wooden bar, "Hey, Teach! Iruka!"

"Naruto!" the teacher smiled, looking a little nostalgic. "You never did know how to address your elders." He looked at Naruto's companion. "Hello, Hinata."

Naruto shrugged, still grinning happily. "Yeah, well – it's what I was taught, I guess."

"Just as I suspected," Iruka reached over and ruffled the already messy blond mop.

"What're you doing here, Teach?" Naruto leaned over towards Iruka, and with a stage-dramatic shading of his mouth with one hand asked, "Are you here chatting up Sistah Ayame? You two are dating, yeah? I know that's why you always come here."

The space all around Iruka's characteristic facial scar burned scarlet for a moment as he cleared his throat.

"Oh, no," laughed Ayame, waving away all suggestion of romance a little too vigorously. "Iruka's been a good friend." The last was said with a hint of wistfulness.

The bowls of ramen landed with a big thud on the wooden counter, and Hinata caught sight of Teuchi's unusually somber face.

"And _customer_," Teuchi emphasized. Then he grabbed his enormous cleaver and gave a series of powerful whacks to the immense rib bones he had on his cutting board, neatly butchering the meat into many individual portions.

Without a clue to the heaving sea of emotions he just sailed blithely through, Naruto chortled, "I can't wait – I haven't had good ramen since I left Konoha." He rubbed his hands together, then grabbed some chopsticks and chanted, "Between the lips and over the gums - watch out stomach, here it comes!"

"Naruto," whispered Hinata, "you don't just go around saying things like that."

"Like what?" Naruto asked blankly, chopsticks in mid-air. "I always say that before I eat ramen."

"It's okay," Ayame gave a very small shake of her head in Hinata's direction.

"I heard you were in Honolulu – what've you been doing?" Iruka inquired.

Sobering, Naruto explained how he had spent the last two weeks assisting with the naval yard clean-up following the bombing to a riveted audience.

"What brings you back?"

Involuntarily, Naruto's eyes slid over to the girl next to him.

"Ah," Ayame said knowingly, corners of her eyes crinkling.

"How long are you staying?" Iruka asked.

"I've got to leave early tomorrow."

"So soon?" Hinata gasped.

"Yeah, I've got to get back to join up," Naruto announced proudly.

"Oh! Then let me get this - " Iruka reached for his wallet.

"I've got pay – and pay for Hinata's as well," Naruto pulled out his own wallet. Smiling, he said, "We really are on a date."

"No, it's on me," Teuchi declared. "You'll be one of our boys in the army – it's the least I can do. Just don't bring shame," he cautioned.

"I won't," Naruto said emphatically.

After they finished eating, Naruto extended a hand towards Hinata. "Come on – let's go for a walk," he suggested.

They had only gone a few steps when the ground grumbled beneath their feet. It was growing louder and louder - almost as if something were just about to –

Hinata's whole body was pushed, shifted and whirled about in a flash of brightly colored cotton. "What - ?" she gasped, totally disoriented, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Her head swam with the sudden movement and the press of Naruto's body against hers. She realized that Naruto had grabbed her out of the road and up against the side of a building, tucking her head under his chin.

She glanced up, and followed the turn of his head, peeking over his arm to catch sight of a jeep of soldiers rumbling by at full speed, so close Hinata imagined she could count the stripes on their ribbon bars.

"They didn't even notice us!" Naruto exclaimed, visibly angry.

Ayame came running out of the restaurant. "You guys okay?"

"Yes," Hinata affirmed. She looked to Naruto, blushing at his proximity. "How about you, Naruto?"

Naruto looked down at her for a long moment, his eyes warming to a celestial blue. "I'm okay, yeah."

"Well, good," Ayame said, her matter-of-fact voice cutting into their unintentional embrace.

Abruptly aware they had an audience, Naruto released Hinata as quickly as he had gathered her up. He busily patted down his shirt for non-existent dust.

"Soldiers just speed down the road," Ayame commented, staring down the asphalt with her hands on her hips. "It's like they don't even see us." She shook her head. "It's only going to get worse – I bet the training field is going to get busier and busier." With a sigh, she returned to the restaurant.

Naruto and Hinata began walking, without thinking about it, past the stores, across the railroad tracks, and beyond the large candlenut tree that marked the village boundary.

"You're really enlisting?" Hinata asked shyly.

He took a deep breath, nodding. "Yeah. The army. Tsunade said my mother wanted me to be raised that so that even if I didn't know her or my father, I wouldn't know what it was like to be without a country."

"It's a wonderful gift," said Hinata.

Unthinking, they made their way to the shore, on a small steeply inclined track bordered by some naupaka brush that ended at a narrow dark sand beach.

He smiled crookedly, not quite looking directly at her, idly, dragging his hands over the brush leaves. "I don't know if it's true or not, or if it's foolish to believe – but Tsunade gave me her will of fire. This is my country. I was born here. I need to stand up and fight for it."

"I heard what you said to Teuchi. I know you won't bring shame. Just come home safely."

"I promise. If you promise me something, yeah?"

"Anything."

"Will you write me? You're my girl, Hinata. Promise me you'll write." He looked down, and scrubbed at the back of his neck. "I mean, I don't have anyone else to ask, and a guy can get real homesick when he's far from home -"

What could she do, what could she say to Naruto, a man about to go off to war? "I-I promise, Naruto," she said, with all the sincerity in her heart.

He handed Hinata a blossom he had broken off the naupaka.

"It's beautiful," she breathed, cupping the white-petaled, purple-veined flower in her hands.

Naruto's eyes lit up as Hinata slid the blossom over her left ear. "You know, Tsunade always liked you." Then he leaned in, a funny intensity about him. "Close your eyes."

Hesitantly, Hinata did. She knew Naruto would never hurt her, but she also knew him well enough to expect the unexpected. A moment later, she felt an unfamiliar cool touch at her neck, and her eyes flew open. "What -?"

Naruto leaned back from her, looking satisfied. "Do you like it?"

She reached up and grasped the heavy object sitting on her sternum. Her eyes went to the newly bare spot below Naruto's throat. "Your necklace," she whispered, her hand tightening about the raw crystal shard and pearl drops.

"Yeah. Well, it's really Tsunade's," he said, still inspecting it with pride. "I want you to have it."

"Oh, I can't – it's yours! I don't think I've ever seen you without it." Even as she spoke, her hand clutched the necklace possessively.

"Tsunade would want it passed on if I – " he paused. "If something happens – " he blundered, finally ending with, "Just hold on to it for me. I mean, as something to remember me by." At Hinata's continued hesitation, Naruto said, "You can return it when I come back, yeah?"

Throat tightening up, Hinata nodded. I can not start crying, she thought, the last thing I want him to see is tears running down my face. I couldn't bear looking weak in front of him. "I don't have anything to give you," she said, embarrassed.

"I've got your handkerchief," Naruto offered.

"No – no – " A thought struck her. Hinata reached into her bag. "Would you take this?" She held out the photo of Ino, Sakura and herself that had been taken that fateful Halloween.

Naruto smiled and took the photo, looking down at the three faces.

Hinata wondered, was he thinking of that evening as well?

"I'll take good care of it," he said. He carefully tucked it into his front shirt pocket and then patted it.

The sun was setting. "I should go home," Hinata said, regretfully, looking over the vast expanse of water.

"Yeah. I've got to get back to Goro's house."

He helped her up the slope of sand and shrub, but did not release her hand until they were just in front of the store. Hinata wasn't certain, but she could just feel her father's eyes burning a hole through the darkened front glass windows. She stepped backwards, pulling Naruto to a spot she was certain couldn't be seen from the store.

"Sayonara," he said.

She shook her head. "No, you should say, itte kimasu."

Naruto tilted his head a minute, thinking. "That means I'll be back soon."

Hinata nodded. "Then I say, itte irasshai." _Go and come back soon._

Naruto looked her squarely in the eye. "Hinata." Her name came out so softly, she wouldn't have heard it if she hadn't been looking at him. "Sayonara." Then he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers. "I'll write when I can. I don't know if I will have time – and I'm not really good at writing -"

"I still say, itte irasshai." Blindly, as the tears threatened to cut off her voice entirely, she grasped his sleeves.

He reached downward and pulled her in tightly until he could place a kiss, a long-dreamt-of kiss onto her mouth, desperately, deeply, like a man drawing in the last breath of oxygen before diving under water. He held her as if he would never let her go.

After an uncountable moment, she felt the cool breeze from the ocean against her flushed skin. She opened her eyes to look out at the empty, darkening street and the last shine fluttering off the green leaves of the trees and bushes. Naruto was gone.

When she entered in through the back door of the store, Hiashi and Hanabi looked up. Her father's face was blank, Hanabi's openly curious.

"Naruto is joining the army, he just came to tell me goodbye," Hinata announced.

She walked by them and into her room, holding her head high, shutting the door behind her. She could still hear the muted voices of her family, but she chose to focus on the music coming from the radio.

…_One fond embrace, a hoi ae a…_

Hinata finally let the tears fall.

…_Until we meet again, until we meet again…

* * *

_

A/N

Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese on Dec 7, 1941.

"A Date Which Will Live in Infamy" FDR speech was given on 12:30pm on Dec 8, 1941. War declared on Japan Dec 8, 1941 at 4:10pm EST. Assuming near-simultaneous radio broadcast, the speech was heard at ~6:30am in Hawaii.

Martial law over Hawaii Territory imposed on Dec 7, 1941 and lasted until October 1944. Blackout restrictions began early (assuming start date of 12/7/1941) and lasted until July 1944. Rationing began almost immediately, especially for desirable materials (rubber, oil/gas, various metals, fat, sugar, meat, etc.).

hayabusa = peregrine falcon (Japanese). In _haiku_, it is a season word for winter (from www (dot)cjvlang(dot)combig5/Birds/falcon(dot)html).

The word samurai is descended from an older Japanese word saburai meaning "those who serve," which is a large part of my characterization of Neji here. At one time, there was a requirement for all military families to "give one son to the Emperor."

Howzit = "how is it?" or "how are you?" (pidgin).

Yamato-damashii – translates as "Japanese spirit"; yamato nadeshiko is the female equivalent. It seems to be a loaded term that carries implications of imperialism and nationalism, and been a "rallying cry for the Japanese armed forces in WWII." (Taken from the online Encyclopedia of Shinto.) I'm using it as the equivalent of "ideal Japanese male" of a certain era, although there could be considered some irony in the context it is used here if the full definition is taken into account.

"don't bring shame" = (pidgin) for Hawaiian Americans of Japanese descent, this phrase had connotations of "You can die, but don't embarrass yourself, your buddies, or your family"

naupaka = the flower is a curious-looking blossom which only has petals in 180 degrees. There are many variations on the naupaka legend, but all carry the same unhappy theme: lovers that are separated forever, one banished to the mountains (where one variety grows, petals on top half), the other to the beach (where another grows – petals on bottom half). It is said that if the mountain naupaka and beach naupaka flowers are reunited, the two young lovers will be together again.

A flower behind the left ear of a woman means means she has been spoken for. A flower behind the right ear means a woman is still available.

itte kimasu, itte kuru = (spoken by person leaving) the traditional expression one uses when going out, and means: "I'm going out and coming back."

itte irasshai = (spoken by person staying) "Be back soon." The response to itte kimasu.

sayonara = good-bye. Not normally used when leaving one's own home unless one is leaving for a very long time.

Aloha 'oe = Love you/Farewell to you. Aloha 'oe is usually said in farewell or good bye, and the song is a song of farewell.

Lyrics from "Aloha 'Oe," Music and Lyrics by Queen Liliuokalani. Original Hawaiian lyrics in italics.

_Haaheo e ka ua i na pali_

Proudly sweeps the rain cloud by the cliffs

_Ke nihi ae la i kanahele_

As onward it glides thru the trees

_E uhai ana paha i ka liko_

It seems to be following the liko

_Pua a hihi lehua o u_

The a hihi lehua of the vale

_Aloha oe, aloha oe,_

Aloha oe, farewell to thee,

_E ke onaona noho i ka lipo_

Thou charming one who dwells among the bowers

_One fond embrace, a hoi ae au_

One fond embrace, before I now depart

_Until we meet again, until we meet again._

Until we meet again, until we meet again

_O ka halia aloha kai hihi mai_

Thus sweet memories come back to me

_Ke hone ae nei i kuu manawa._

Bringing fresh remembrance of the past

_O oe no ka'u ipo aloha_

Dearest one, yes, thou art mine own

_A loko e hana nei._

From the true love shall ne'er depart

_Maopopo kuu iki i ka nani,_

I have seen and watched the loveliness

_Na pua rose o Maunawili,_

Thou sweet rose of Maunawili

_Ilaila hiaai ai na manu,_

And 'tis there the birds oft love to dwell

_Mikiala i ka nani o ka liko._

And sip the honey from thy lips


End file.
